I Can't Get No Sleep

& it really is no joke. Since I had my hysterectomy in October, and if I'm honest before that, my sleep has been far from great. Here is the face of me. Insomniac. Frightening!!!

Leading up to finishing work I was working late every night and worrying about having every little thing tied up (yes, just to be able to go off sick!!!). I wasn't sleeping and if I did I had incessant chatter in my head about everything I needed to do. Literally I was in a state of living to work.

After my operation, I was sleeping all hours of the day and night, whenever I wanted. And that was okay, because I could. I needed to sleep, to rest, to replenish, to heal.

Next came the horrendous hot sweats, particularly extreme at night. My sleep became so disturbed, I was having hardly any sleep at all. When I did sleep, it was fitful, disturbed by the throwing on and off of covers.

I saw the GP as planned to discuss starting my HRT (you have to have a break between hysterectomy and starting HRT). Unlike many women, I wasn't having the 'other' associated symptoms of menopause, which was good because what I was experiencing was bloody awful!!

After discussing and considering with the GP I decided that HRT, at this moment in time is not for me. I am a runner - weight bearing exercise strengthens bones as does HRT protecting against osteoporosis, I'm 47 this month - if I was early 40's this would NOT be a good choice, I'm not having mood swings, I'm not moody or over emotional (never have been), I'm still keen to you know what (first time in a couple of years pain free - yay!!) and am not having problems with dryness........sorry..........

So, I started medication that tackles the hot sweats only. It's worked - amazingly. I was having 30 - 40 hot sweats a day and am down to 6 - 10 after 3 weeks. Amazeballs. Sadly sleep continues to evade me. This week I reached desperation point, I could not cope any more. I could feel, as bedtime was approaching' anxiety kicking in, just awful. Here are some/all of the things I have tried;

• Not resting/sleeping in the day - in the morning I have felt that 'oooohhhhh, I feel like I could have the nicest sleep NOW' but have resisted
• Going to bed and getting up at the same time
• Temperature control in the bedroom
• Bedtime routine - you know the one; warm bath, not too hot, nice warm drink - chamomile tea or Pukka Night Time Tea (don't do milk), gradual wind down....
• Eating a banana
• No screens from an hour before bed - the screens emit blue light which can affect circadian rhythm (your body clock)
• No charging items up in the bedroom, turning all electrical items off (apart from hubby's phone) as the tiny flashes of light were disturbing me
• Increased exercise
• Headspace Meditation
• Deep Breathing
• Bach Rescue Remedy to calm me down. Yes! It's that bad! 
• Pukka Night Time natural remedy capsules
• I then went and bought a Lumie Body Clock which helps your circadian rhythm by simulating a dusk (time to go to sleep) and dawnbreak

As you can see. I've really tackled it, I need to, I am due back to work next week.

So, yesterday I went to see my GP again, who's brilliant. She listened and advised a very short term measure of half a sleeping tablet a night, to help my routine and take away some of the anxiety. I have also been given another weeks sick note. I have a job where I need to be on the ball, with no room for mistakes.

I could not wait to go to bed last night and pop that pill I tell ya! I did my 'routine' popped half a tablet, read my book and could feel myself slowly drifting..........................next thing it was 4am and even then I went straight back to sleep until 6.30am. 

Today I feel so rested. It's unbelievable. Well, it's not, cos, you know 'drug induced sleep' but, I need it. If it is going to help in my return to a normal routine, meaning I go back to work rested then it has to be. I will be taking them for 4 nights then seeing what happens without them. Cross your fingers for me - please!

Here is the face of me. One nights sleep. Seven and a half hours. Yay! Admittedly I have mascara on!

So hopefully, this will work. Have you suffered from sleep deprivation/insomnia? What worked for you? What helped? Sharing is caring! XX